DAVID THE SHEPHERD KING #5 When Our Security is Gone – Part 1 1 Samuel 18:6-21:16

Our sense of security is often dependant upon various factors in our lives such as our jobs, our families, our friends, and even our position in society. –We can become very secure in these things –A person with a good job, a nice house, a loving family, the respect of other people, good health – well, what else could a guy need? Right? Maybe he doesn’t even need God.

Our sense of security is often dependant upon various factors in our lives such as our jobs, our families, our friends, and even our position in society. And therein lies the problem – God wants us to find our security ultimately in Him –The reason for that is that all of these things are temporary and our relationship with God has the potential of being eternal – we will have to remain faithful –But there is an independent streak in all of us that tends sometimes to neglect to develop our security and trust in God when there are so many others things that offer what we think is security. –Though it is not always the case, it is often true that the person who is secure in these other things will have somewhat of a problem trusting God. Oh, he wouldn’t know it – unless he begins to lose any or all of these things that made him feel secure. –It could be that in many cases God allows His children to go through loss of worldly means of security in order to test, expose, and/or develop trust in Him

Our sense of security is often dependant upon various factors in our lives such as our jobs, our families, our friends, and even our position in society. And therein lies the problem – God wants us to find our security ultimately in Him David now is flying high above the clouds of secure circumstances –He had been brought out of shadows as a shepherd and anointed to be the next king of Israel. –David had taken on the giant, Goliath, and had been victorious when everyone else was afraid. Because of his victory Saul had put David in charge of his army. –David led that army into battle and won time and time again. He was very popular among the army rank and file. When the army came home, David found he was popular among the people too – even more popular than King Saul himself. –1 Samuel 18:6-7 David was on a roll of success! But then, suddenly, one at a time, his securities began to leave him. God allowed it to happen, though David had done no wrong. 1 Samuel describe how all of David’s earthly securities were removed from him. David would lose his position in the king’s army, he would loose his wife, he would loose his mentor and long time counselor – Samuel, he would loose his best friend – Jonathan, and would finally loose his self-respect. 1 Sam 18:6-7 It happened as they were coming, when David returned from killing the Philistine, that the women came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with tambourines, with joy and with musical instruments. 7 The women sang as they played, and said," Saul has slain his thousands, And David his ten thousands.

Our sense of security is often dependant upon various factors in our lives such as our jobs, our families, our friends, and even our position in society. And therein lies the problem – God wants us to find our security ultimately in Him David now is flying high above the clouds of secure circumstances David’s life at this stage illustrates the person whom God is teaching to depend on Him. –It seems to be universal in human nature that you and I tend to find our security in everything else except God. Our bank account, our job, our family – you name it. –And often, it isn’t until these things are actually taken away that we finally learn to lean on the Lord. It is seldom a pleasant experience.

Our sense of security is often dependant upon various factors in our lives such as our jobs, our families, our friends, and even our position in society. And therein lies the problem – God wants us to find our security ultimately in Him David now is flying high above the clouds of secure circumstances David’s life at this stage typifies the person whom God is teaching to depend on Him. Let us now consider this slice out of David’s life as God removes his securities – one at a time and see what we might learn. This lesson is important to all of us, but particularly to any of us who have experienced loss.

The First Thing David Lost Was His Good Position 1 Samuel 18:7-13 –When those who sang the song about David and his ten thousands, Saul was enraged with anger and obsessed with jealousy –Thus, in verse 13 we see David receives a demotion. Notice back in 1 Samuel 18:5 the position that David had occupied before this incident. David had been set “over the men of war.” David had apparently been made general. Now he would only be over a thousand men –No matter what the cause, a demotion is usually hard for us to take when it comes We feel rejected and we hurt. It is especially hard to take when we have done nothing to deserve it, which is the case with David But that wasn’t the end of it – spitefully, Saul would cheat David out of the wife he was promised for defeating Goliath 1 Sam 18:7-13 The women sang as they played, and said, "Saul has slain his thousands, And David his ten thousands.” 8 Then Saul became very angry, for this saying displeased him; and he said, "They have ascribed to David ten thousands, but to me they have ascribed thousands. Now what more can he have but the kingdom?" 9 Saul looked at David with suspicion from that day on. 10 Now it came about on the next day that an evil spirit from God came mightily upon Saul, and he raved in the midst of the house, while David was playing the harp with his hand, as usual; and a spear was in Saul's hand. 11 Saul hurled the spear for he thought, "I will pin David to the wall." But David escaped from his presence twice. 12 Now Saul was afraid of David, for the LORD was with him but had departed from Saul. 13 Therefore Saul removed him from his presence and appointed him as his commander of a thousand; and he went out and came in before the people Therefore Saul removed him from his presence and appointed him as his commander of a thousand; and he went out and came in before the people 1 Sam 18:5 So David went out wherever Saul sent him, and prospered; and Saul set him over the men of war. And it was pleasing in the sight of all the people and also in the sight of Saul's servants.

The First Thing David Lost Was His Good Position 1 Samuel 18:8-13 Notice 1 Samuel 18:19 –Now, that may not have set very well for Saul in the public eye – so the next thing we find is Saul hatching a plot where it would appear that he is going to give David his younger daughter to marry – Michal –But since David was a poor man, a dowry for the king’s daughter was out of reach. “No problem” - Saul had a plan … 1 Samuel 18:25 Of course, Saul figured that David would be killed in the process and he would be rid of him 1 Sam 18:19 So it came about at the time when Merab, Saul's daughter, should have been given to David, that she was given to Adriel the Meholathite for a wife 1 Sam 18:25 Saul then said, "Thus you shall say to David, 'The king does not desire any dowry except a hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to take vengeance on the king's enemies.'" Now Saul planned to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines.

The First Thing David Lost Was His Good Position 1 Samuel 18:8-13 Notice 1 Samuel 18:19 This plan that Saul had did not work because God was with David. –David presented Saul with the evidence of two hundred dead enemy soldiers, and Saul had no choice but to give Michal to David to wife –But that did not stop the murderous designs of Saul – ultimately, David would be driven from the king’s court.

The First Thing David Lost Was His Good Position 1 Samuel 18:8-13 Notice 1 Samuel 18:19 This plan of Saul did not work because God was with David. 1 Samuel 19:1 –The verses that follow tell how Jonathan pleaded with his father not to kill David – an innocent man. He reminded him how faithful David had been in battle with the giant and in the king’s army. –Saul listened to his son for a little while, and David was restored to his place at the palace. But Saul’s jealousy soon returned. 1 Sam 19:1 Now Saul told Jonathan his son and all his servants to put David to death. But Jonathan, Saul's son, greatly delighted in David

The First Thing David Lost Was His Good Position 1 Samuel 18:8-13 Notice 1 Samuel 18:19 This plan of Saul did not work because God was with David. 1 Samuel 19:1 1 Samuel 19:9-10 –So, David goes home that night –In the meanwhile, Saul is sending men to surround the house to kill David when he comes out in the morning 1 Sam 19:9-10 Now there was an evil spirit from the LORD on Saul as he was sitting in his house with his spear in his hand, and David was playing the harp with his hand. 10 Saul tried to pin David to the wall with the spear, but he slipped away out of Saul's presence, so that he stuck the spear into the wall. And David fled and escaped that night.

The First Thing David Lost Was His Good Position 1 Samuel 18:8-13 Notice 1 Samuel 18:19 This plan of Saul did not work because God was with David. 1 Samuel 19:1 1 Samuel 19: Samuel 19:11-12 –That was the last that David saw of his old job and position. –From here on out David is a “hunted man” –Had David done anything to deserve this kind of treatment? No! Not unless being faithful to what he was told to do was wrong. 1 Sam 19:11-12 Then Saul sent messengers to David's house to watch him, in order to put him to death in the morning. But Michal, David's wife, told him, saying, "If you do not save your life tonight, tomorrow you will be put to death." 12 So Michal let David down through a window, and he went out and fled and escaped.

Most people get a lot of security from what they do for a living –Among a group of people, after names are exchanged in an introduction – the next question usually asked it, “What do you do for a living?” –Most people derive a sense of who they are by what their occupation is. How would it affect you if suddenly you permanently lost your job and position through no fault of your own – and you could never go back? –Would it affect your sense of security? –You really don’t know just how much sense of security you derive from your job until you loose it for some reason. If we are putting our security in worldly things we will cause ourselves great sorrow if calamity comes our way. –How would David react to all of this? –Perhaps we can get a glimpse by looking at Psalm 57

Ps 57:11 Be gracious to me, O God, be gracious to me, For my soul takes refuge in You; And in the shadow of Your wings I will take refuge Until destruction passes by. 2 I will cry to God Most High, To God who accomplishes all things for me. 3 He will send from heaven and save me; He reproaches him who tramples upon me. Selah. God will send forth His lovingkindness and His truth. 4 My soul is among lions; I must lie among those who breathe forth fire, Even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows And their tongue a sharp sword. 5 Be exalted above the heavens, O God; Let Your glory be above all the earth. 6 They have prepared a net for my steps; My soul is bowed down; They dug a pit before me; They themselves have fallen into the midst of it. Selah. 7 My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast; I will sing, yes, I will sing praises! 8 Awake, my glory! Awake, harp and lyre! I will awaken the dawn. 9 I will give thanks to You, O Lord, among the peoples; I will sing praises to You among the nations. 10 For Your lovingkindness is great to the heavens And Your truth to the clouds. 11 Be exalted above the heavens, O God; Let Your glory be above all the earth.